Fair food vendors offer new treats and old favorites

TAMPA (FOX 13) - It's that time of year again. You can almost smell the fried foods when you think about the Florida State Fair.

Get ready to ruin your diet because there are foods you can only get at the fair.

You know the craziest foods always seem to be served at the state fair.

Stuffed Oreos, corn dogs, and funnel cakes are steadfast favorites, but this year’s new dishes are cheesier, greasier, and sweeter than ever.

If you like sweet and savory, you can’t miss the chicken and waffles pizza.

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And if you can’t decide between steak and seafood, you can have both. Just look for the surf and turf sundae.

These are just a few of the new items on the fair’s menu.

Vendors are getting ready to feed hundreds of thousands of hungry people.

Ice cream vendor Bryden Roefs was busy making ice cream the night before the fair opened.

Traditional flavors will be served, but just to spice things up, this year Roefs will debut a new creation.

“It’s called Graham Central Station which is a graham cracker base and also has marshmallows, fudge, and honey nut clusters,” Roefs said.

And just around the corner, you’ll find fluffy cotton candy being spun to order.

Flo George has been making cotton candy at state fairs for 30 years. She says the fair wouldn’t be the same without this sugary treat.

And watching kids try it for the first time is her favorite part.

“Their first bite of cotton candy, their little face just lights up,” she said.

If you can’t get enough sweets, there are new desserts to try. How about a deep-fried strawberry shortcake on a stick?

There’s also a southern catfish sundae, but don’t worry, it’s anything but sweet.

If you want to try all those new crazy dishes you have 12 days to do it.

The state fair officially opens Thursday, February 8 at 10 a.m.